1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a system, method, and docking station for a mobile computer, and more particularly to a system and method having an xe2x80x9cintelligentxe2x80x9d docking station including a central processing unit (CPU) to increase an amount of computing power for the mobile computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many mobile computer units do not have sufficient computing power to make them viable for home or office desktop systems when used in traditional docking stations. The trade-off among CPU power, weight, battery consumption, etc. limit the design options.
Furthermore, when the mobile unit is disconnected from conventional docking stations, the resources on the dock are unavailable for use by other systems and components.
Additionally, conventional docking stations do not incorporate any additional computing power (e.g., a second central processing unit (CPU)) to manage dock resources or perform other functions, when the mobile unit is disconnected.
Furthermore, the bridge technology used in bridging the docking station and the mobile computer is not symmetric. For purposes of the present application, xe2x80x9csymmetricxe2x80x9d is defined as defining the role of a bus (primary/secondary) dynamically under software control. Thus, a symmetric bridge is a bridge that can swap primary and secondary roles under CPU control. Typically, the conventional bridge technology merely provides one fixed primary (master) and one or more secondary (slave) busses.
For example, Mobility Electronics (e.g., see http://www.mobilityelectronics.com/index2.htm) describes several applications of extended peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bridges, but is silent as to symmetric bridges.
Further, conventional docks do not use symmetric bridges, thereby resulting in a fixed allocation of assets and resources and inefficiencies. Without a symmetric bridge, it is impossible for conventional docks to assume the role of master and utilize the mobile unit""s resources.
Further, conventional docks cannot function without the mobile unit. E-mail, fax, remote connector services, etc. and are unavailable when the mobile unit is disconnected.
In view of the foregoing and other problems of the conventional methods and structures, an object of the present invention is to provide a docking structure which is provided with computing power to manage dock resources or perform other functions, even when a mobile unit is disconnected from the docking station.
Another object is to provide a symmetric bridge for bridging the docking station and the mobile computer.
In a first aspect of the present invention, a computer network system includes a plurality of computers each including a central processing unit (CPU), a memory and at least one peripheral device, a connection fabric having first and second sides, the first side being coupled to a first computer of the plurality of computers and the second side being coupled to at least a second computer of the plurality of computers. Each of the first and second computers performs a negotiation to determine which one of the first and second computers controls resources of the other of the first and second computers.
With the unique and unobvious aspects of the present invention, an xe2x80x9cintelligent dockxe2x80x9d is provided which includes a CPU formed therein, unlike the conventional (xe2x80x9cdumbxe2x80x9d) mobile computing docking stations. This capability allows the user to connect a mobile unit to the dock, and optionally (selectively) use either the computer in the dock or the mobile unit. In addition, the dock can remain active even when the mobile unit is removed.
With the intelligent dock of the invention, the user is provided with potentially more CPU power to extend the capabilities of the mobile unit and to provide standby CPU (or low cost embedded processor) power when the mobile unit is disconnected. Thus, the structure of the invention maintains use of the dock""s resources, for example, in networked situations (e.g. modem fax or ftp server or to run software agents on behalf of the user).
Further, the invention is advantageous in an inverse situation (e.g., inverse to the above where a relatively weak portable CPU connects with a powerful stationary CPU (e.g., a dock or desktop computer). In this case, the user can perform simple operations etc. while mobile, yet can continue to operate on the data with more complex operations while docked.